Ludwig II, whose real name is Otto Friedrich Willhelm, was born August 25, 1845, to a father, King Maximilian of Bavaria, who remained a stranger in the boy's life until his death. His childhood was spent alone, save for his nurse maid, among books, and it was then that he came across Richard Wagner's Opera Lohengrin. The tale of the Swan Prince became very dear to him, and so began the prince's obsession with swans.

The prince was 18 years old when the king died and he ascended the throne. This made him very unhappy, because he had no desire to rule at that age. It was a terrible burden on him, specially since he was so young. Throughout most of his lifetime, he avoided his kingly duties, or carried them out half heartedly. Avoiding things, specially people, was his delirium. He liked being alone, and tried as much as he could to retire from the presence of others, sometimes even for months. For this purpose, he constructed wondrous castles, Herrenchiemsee, Neuschwanstein, and Linderhof, so that he could seclude himself away from Court. He also retired to the Alps frequently, and thus spent diminutive time in Munich.

Due to his seclusion, Ludwig II preferred to be immersed in books, music, and art very often. In those he found a peace he met nowhere else. His young mind wanted to surround itself with beauty, something he treasured a lot, and thus, he set forward to make elaborate works of art, which are still wonders in Bavaria today. He not only constructed the magnificent castles he used to escape from Court, he also wanted to advance German Opera.

His relationship with Richard Wagner was a very deep one, and he became the composer's most influential helper. He founded Wagner's operas, helping the composer reach the heights of grandeur he deserved. Wagner's friendship was very dear to him, and he devoted great amounts of money on the man. His operas were a part of Ludwig II's life that was linked to his childhood, and to his troubled mind. It seems no one understood this. Still, the king was obsessed with Lohengrin and anything Wagner composed.

 The king's eccentricisms were very noted. He sometimes woke people from their sleep so they could serve him, play an instrument for him, get him things, or give him a carriage ride to a friend's house. He liked to surprise people with midnight visits, which made them very angry, but him very happy. Ludwig II was like a child; historians call him a fairy prince. His mind worked like that of a child; his love of music, of beauty, of solitude. He reacted passionately to things around him, and maybe this is why the Bavarian Court found him odd.

Still, he was loved by his people. They saw him as the king they wanted: beautiful, charming, rich, involved in the arts, and close to them. They followed his every move, cheered when he had a victory, and followed his carriage with admiration. They treated him like a sun king, sometimes giving him too much respect.

Still, they did not understand the things that occurred in his mind.

 Ludwig II is a man full of emotions which he does not understand. He is plagued by his religious believes, by the decisions he makes as king, by the opposition he meets from Court, by the rejection of the people around him, and most of all, by his sexual needs. He finds it a shame that he falls in love so easy, and that his love affairs often go wrong. His mind is also tortured because of the homosexual tendency he finds in himself. Sometimes, he vents his needs too freely, only to later regret this. This is the cause of his many male lovers, and of the boys he keeps around him constantly.

 In 1867, trying to please his subjects and his mother, and trying to run away from his homosexual awareness, he became romantically involved with his cousin Sophie Charlotte, Princess of Bavaria. He met her in her home, visited quite often, and became romantically involved with her. The public was very much pleased that their king had at last found love, and they soon were engaged. Sophie, whom he calls Elsa, from Lohengrin, is a very beautiful, charming, young lady. She has a pretty spirit and is gifted with happiness. Becoming involved with Ludwig II is very dear to her, but she begins to notice that he doesn't treat her as a lover.